Our Practice

As the Founder and Executive Director of JJAC, Adam has both lived and professional experience in the Criminal Justice Field. Adam grew up in  a broken family and became a gang member when he was 13 years old, being introduced to the  gang and criminal lifestyle by his older brother and uncles. Adam lived a lifestyle of crime, drug  abuse and gang involvement, which resulted in him first  being arrested at the age of 14, throughout his adolescent years, and ultimately for a gang related crime at 17  years of age. Adam was tried as an adult, and sentenced to 15 years to life, of which he served 22 years. While incarcerated, Adam realized his destructive lifestyle was hurting others, himself, and his family. Adam started working hard to change his life.  Since Adam’s return to his community, he has volunteered in various capacities, including mentoring youth and adult gang members, as well as advocating for more equitable and just laws  effecting juveniles and minorities in California. Adam’s professional experience includes Legal  Consultant, Gang/Prison Expert, Reintegration Case Manager- Flintridge  Center, Life Coach/Inside Coordinator- Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Program Manager, Office Manager/Bookkeeper, and Chief Financial and Operating Officer.

  Roberto Luca grew up in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles California. As an adolescent, he ran away from a dysfunctional home and hit the streets. He witnessed the effects of a crack cocaine epidemic and the birth of street gangs like the Mara Salvatrucha MS 13. Roberto quickly adopted criminal street values and emerged himself into the gang lifestyle. At the age of 16, he was arrested, tried as an adult, and sentenced to life. Roberto served 28 years. During the last eight years of his incarceration, Roberto experienced a life-altering event when he grieved for his victim. He earned a Certificate for Victim Advocacy from Adams State University and became an advocate for the development of Rehabilitating programming. Since his release, he has been determined to make a difference for the better of all Angelinos by mentoring youth, completing a Gang Expert certificate program, and participating in the Leadership Institute Project through the Berkley Underground Scholars Ambassador program. Roberto’s professional experience includes the Amity Foundation, Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), and Program Director of Mass Liberation. Currently, he sits on the Executive Steering Committee (ESC) and Secure Youth Training Facility (SYTF) Sub-Committee, as part of the Revision of the Juvenile Title 15 & 24, for the Board of Community Corrections (BSCC).

Maria Elena Greeman-Lynde grew up in the Coachella Valley and established herself in San Diego in 2011. As a community college student, Maria Elena used her personal experience with the criminal legal system to empower individuals from previously incarcerated and marginalized groups; by providing resources and giving sound to their voices. She is the co-founder of the Urban Scholars Union at San Diego City College, and has also sat on the California Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights. She if the former Justice Impacted Community Liaison for the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties where she supported the National ACLU's Smart Justice Campaign. 
Maria Elena is currently the Founder and CEO of Homegirlz del Corazón Inc., which provides opportunities for women coming from communities of color who have been impacted by poverty, violence, addiction, gang involvement, and incarceration to be empowered through healing, self-actualization, and by recreating their own personal narrative of resilience. 
Maria Elena is currently utilizing her lived experience through a holistic approach to support those inside our juvenile legal system as a Program Coordinator for Youth Development, her new role with Juvenile Justice Advocates of California. Her work has included weekly facilitation of Project With curriculum at East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility and CGA (Criminal and  Gangs Members Anonymous). Maria Elena has created the curriculum, A Homegirlz Guide to Self-Love. Beginning in August 2023, Maria Elena will begin facilitating at YTC (Youth Transition Campus) with the hopes to empower our young women to begin healing their core experiences that have led them into the juvenile system.

Board of Directors 

Chicana Activist passionate about racial and economic justice in communities impacted by violence and incarceration. Law student and aspiring public interest attorney. Independent forensic gang expert, trauma expert, and peace builder. Ana is an experienced Mentor to juvenile and adult gang members, a gang prevention, intervention and diversion expert with  well over a decade of experience in Los Angeles and transnational gangs.

Ana’s professional experience includes Legal Assistant, Paralegal, Program Director, and Independent Forensic Gang Expert. 

Board of Directors 

After serving 18.5 years in prison. His sentence was commuted under Governor Jerry Brown. He was a teenager when he was sentenced to multiple life sentences in an adult prison. Hugo is an artist/advocate who is now working with Success Stories Program as an Alumni Coordinator/TransformativeCoach. He expresses that, “Being a part of work has given me the opportunity to help people that strive for a second chance.” Hugo goes to public forums, conferences and schools to speak about Patriarchy, toxic masculinity, gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry. Hugo has said of his current commitments and work, “I am doing this work because I now recognize that we are all connected as human beings. Giving back is my restitution, it's a responsibility I know that I have living in this world.”

Alwin served 21 years in CDCR after receiving a sentence of 65-years-to-life as a third-striker. While growing up, his male role models were cousins who glamorized the gang culture, and Alwin followed their lead into the destructive lifestyle of gang membership. During his time of incarceration, he came to recognize the devastation caused to others through his criminal behavior and irresponsible thinking. In 2007, he committed himself to renewing his way of thinking and behaving, including a fundamental reshaping of his values, attitude, and daily goals. Over the next 14 years, until his release in 2021, he participated in an array of groups and programs to facilitate his personal growth and readiness for bringing a positive impact to the outside community when released. He also facilitated and prepared lessons for small groups, assisting others in understanding and addressing their hurts, habits, and hang ups. These achievements, among many others, led the Secretary of the CDCR to petition the court for resentencing. He currently facilitates rehabilitative programs at East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility and Youth Transition Campus in San Diego, as well as at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Detention Facility in Los Angeles.